Sparanai and Daniel Redmond (white silks) break from the stalls© Photo Healy Racing
Daniel Redmond partnered his fifth winner when guiding his boss, Jim Bolger's Sparanai home a well-backed victor (9/2 into 7/2) of the Ladbrokes Apprentice Handicap at Dundalk.
With cheek-pieces added to her usual hood, Sparanai soon led on this occasion, for the first time in her career, and she beat off all challengers in the final quarter mile, eventually holding on from the strong-finishing Alvar by three parts of a length.
"I rode her three weeks ago when she ran over a mile and a quarter and the pace was a little bit steadier then. She got a bit paced out the last furlong and a half there," reported Redmond.
"Here I felt I'd control the pace more, and she got a second wind with me coming around the last bend. When I got after her she had what I wanted.
"She's done it well. She's rated 67 and she was going to have her day. She'll probably improve from that and if the handicapper doesn't hit her too hard she could win again.
"She's an uncomplicated horse and everything just went to plan." (AM & EM)
